Indicator lights, such as turn-signal lights, running lights, brake lights, and/or amber lights, provide an essential safety system for motor vehicles, because they indicate the operating condition of a vehicle, and warn others about upcoming stops and turns. Hazards can occur when a vehicle is towing an object, such as a trailer with or without a load, a second vehicle, or a mobile home, because the towed object tends to obscure the tail-lights of the towing vehicle. In such situations, prudence and traffic laws require that the towed object also be provided with adequate indicator lights to ensure the safety of those using the roadways.
Toward this end, many towed objects are independently equipped with indicator light systems that include a jack or similar connector adapted to interface with a vehicle's indicator light energizing circuitry, whereby the towed object's indicator lights are energized synchronously with the indicator lights of the towing vehicle. However, these types of lighting systems may be inadequate for many towed objects. For example, “oversized loads,” such as mobile homes, large machinery, and the like, not only obscure the indicator lights of the towing vehicle, but also of the towed trailer upon which they are secured. Because these objects also obscure the range of vision of the operator of the towing vehicle, it is essential that these objects be provided with an independent indicator light system that ensures that other drivers will see the necessary indicator lights from both the rear and the side of the towed object.
Operators of vehicles that tow large objects often must provide their own custom-made indicator light systems for use with the towed object. For example, mobile home movers must spend large amounts of time and effort creating custom-made indicator light systems that attach to the rear of the mobile home. Often it is difficult to ensure that these lighting systems comply with traffic laws, and/or are sufficiently safe for use on the roadways. Further, these custom-made indicator light systems must be attached to the rear of the object, and wired to the electrical system of the towing vehicle, which requires yet additional and substantial time and effort.
Therefore, the present application discloses indicator light assemblies that comply with applicable traffic laws, ensure that other drivers will see the necessary indicator lights from both the rear and the side of a large towed object, and are easy to install and use. The indicator light assemblies disclosed herein may each include a transmitting assembly, at least one tail-light assembly, and/or at least one side-light assembly. Examples of other indicator light systems may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,859,982; 5,195,813; 5,424,715; 5,442,332; 5,666,103; 6,100,810; 6,177,867; 6,677,856; and 6,933,839, the entire disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.